The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-05-09
First Presbyterian Church.

The morning congregation was ex-
cellent. The pastor announced as his
text Second Peter ], 1921: I'VE
have also more sure word OF
prophecy, whereunto ye do we'll that
We take heed az unto a light thst
shineth ia q dark place until the day
dawn and the day star arise in your
hearts; knowing tots first, thai no
prophecy OF Scripture is of any private
Interpretation, for the propeey came
not in old time by the will OF man,
but holy men Of God spake as they
were moved by the Holy Ghost"
The sermon consisted Of two parts
an exposition OF the text in its con-
nection, and the enforcement OF
certain propositions growing out of
that exposition.
The former part may be briefly out
lined az follows: The inspired writer
had asserted that in believing the
Gospel himself, and in preaching 1t to
others, he and mis- brethren had not
followed cunningly devised fables"
(verse 1877. Their faith was based on
evidence. He next presents u ppe-
cific part of that evidence, namely,
the fact of the transfguration, beheld
by his own eyes, and OF the hearing,
with bis own ears, tbs voice of God
approving Christ 70 His own s n
oversees II 49, This leads to the state
ment in the nineteenth verse: 1--WE
lave also q more sure word OF
prophecy"-better rendered in the re.
vised version-"We have the word of
prophecy made more sure" in the
sense OF being more thoroughly
authenticated and established, and
confirmed by the very evidences to
which the writer had been allud-
ing. The apostles and Chris
tians living subsequently could,
by reason of the fulfillment of
prophecy in Christ, rest more conf
IDENTIFY upon those pr3pbec es than
could even the men who wrote them.
"For no prophecy of Scripture was OF
any private Interpretation" The
word which lis wandered "private,"
means that which is individual, that
which is peculiarly ones own. The
prophet himself had no power or au-
thority Of Interpretation which was
peculiarly his own. So far from it,
he often did not understand his own
prediction, and needed TO study its
me lning. (First Peter i, 10.1l.)
And this resulted from the fact next
namely, that the prophecy
came not by the will of man, but the
man spoke IS he was borne along by
the Holy Ghost, as a ship ia borns
along by the wind (the idea indicated
by the Greek word.) The substance
of the passage IL, therefore, this:
Christ's appearance on the earth, his
life, his miracles, mis- death, all full
filing prophecy, all gloriously illus
trating ii, make the word CT prophecy
"moTe sure" to us surer than 1t could
have been even to the men who were
mirsculously employed to utter It, bat
who had no private, peculiar, personal
OF interp 'eting 1t, they
speaking az they were borne along by
the Holy Ghost. And to us, TO whom
this double assurance is given, the
word of prophecy, thus authenticated
and illus rated, is emphatiCally "a
light shining in dark place"
The propositions deduced from the
were these:
l. The passage gives no support to
the doctrine that private Christians
may not read and interpret the Bible
for themselves.
2. Gods open word, illustrated and
confirmed by the historical Jesus
Christ, must be the guiding s'ar Of the
8. Let every indiv Qua. take heed
to this slight, shining in a dark
place."
Linden Street Christian Church.
The presence aud sermon of the
Rev. George Edward Walk at the
Linden Street Christian Church, yes
terday morning, gave uuususl inter-
est to the exercises. Mr.. Walk is q
son of the Rev. David Walk, who
presided as pastor OF the Linden
Street Church from 1870 to 1873. He
came to this city a mere boy and grew
up in the Sunday school Of this
church, and obsyed the gospel here
when quite young, and here the
members Of the church feel deep in
terest in him and his work. They |
Ieel that in sense he went out from |
hem to preach the "unsearchable |
riches Of Christ" to dying men and
and they will always follow
him with their prayers and sympa'
lhles. He has already been success
ful in the ministry and gives promise
Of great usefulness in the future.
The speaker took for his text Sec.
ond Corinthians v, IA, and proceeded
10 discuss In q clear and impressive
manner the "Oonstraining Power OF
The Love Of Christ" examining the
hject under three heads:
IL Attracts. IL no power 30
strong as the power OF love. II breaks
down the stubbornness OF the heart
and subdues the obstinacy oil the will
when all other means fail. The hui
man heart may despiss threats and
array itself against mere authority,
but it can scarcely Withstand the
quiet, gentle, gracious influences q
Owe. 1t is principally by means OF
ove that ChriBt seeks to subdue hu-
man hearts unto Himself. ave love
Him." says inspiration, "beCluse He
irst loved u.s." Love begets love.
When we contemplate the love OF
Corist, as we see taat Iowa nsde'msn:.
fest in the croBs, our hearts respond
n tlusifll faith and loving obtd ence
% His blessed and divine will. And
|, " said the master, "if l be lifted up |
rom the earth, will draw all men unto